“I understand; he must be first or nowhere.”

“Yes, first or nowhere; and they will brook no punishment save death.  If a man disobeys me I either let it pass or shoot him out of hand, according to circumstances.  If I were to strike a man or order him under arrest, the entire force would either mutiny or disband. Si senor, my llaneros are wild fellows.”

They looked it.  Most of them wore only a ragged shirt over equally ragged trousers.  Their naked feet were thrust into rusty stirrups.  Some rode bare-backed, and there were among them men of every breed which the country produced; mestizoes, mulattoes, zambos, quadroons, negroes, and Indios, but all born gauchos and llaneros, hardy and in high condition, and well skilled in the use of lasso and spear.  They were volunteers, too, and if their chief failed to provide them with a sufficiency of fighting and plunder, they had no hesitation in taking themselves off without asking for leave of absence.

When Mejia heard that a British force was being raised for service against the Spaniards, he was greatly delighted, and offered me on the spot a command in his “army,” or, alternatively, the position of his principal aide-de-camp.  I preferred the latter.

“You have decided wisely, and I thank you, senor coronel.  The advice and assistance of a soldier who has seen so much of war as you have will be very valuable and highly esteemed.”

I reminded the chief that, in the British army, I had held no higher rank than that of lieutenant.

“What matters that?  I have made myself a general, and I make you a colonel.  Who is there to say me nay?” he demanded, proudly.

Though much amused by this summary fashion of conferring military rank, I kept a serious countenance, and, after congratulating General Mejia on his promotion and thanking him for mine, I said that I should do my best to justify his confidence.

We bivouacked on the banks of a stream some ten miles from the scene of our encounter with the loyalists.  On our way thither, Mejia told us that he had taken and destroyed Tres Cruces, and was now contemplating an attack on General Griscelli at San Felipe, as to which he asked my opinion.

I answered that, as I knew nothing either of the defense of San Felipe or of the strength and character of the force commanded by General Griscelli, I could give none.  On this, Mejia informed me that the place was a large village and military post, defended by earthworks and block-houses, and that the force commanded by Griscelli consisted of about twenty-five hundred men, of whom about half were regulars, half native auxiliaries.

“Has he any artillery?” I asked.

“About ten pieces of position, but no field-guns.”

“And you?”

“I have none whatever.”

“Nor any infantry?”

“Not here.  But my colleague, General Estero, is at present organizing a force which I dare say will exceed two thousand men, and he promises to join me in the course of a week or two.”